Water-gas generator



Patented Jan. 1o, 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2,143,017 i WATER-GAS GENERATOR Heinrich Koppers, Essen, Germany,

mesne assignments,

Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation oi' assignor, by to Koppers Company,

Delaware Application March 2, 1937, Serial No. 128,576 In Germany March 4,1936

6 Claims.

The invention relates to water-gas generators, arranged for intermittent alternate operation, at which during one operating period the fuel is highly heated (blown hot) in the producer shaft by the introduction of air and in the following working period, the producer shaft is traversed by the steam which reacts with the highly heated i fuel with the formation of water-gas. My invention comprehends in particular such types of water-gas generators, in which the air for the hot blast is introduced from below upwardly into the fuel column and the water-gas developed in the producer shaft may be withdrawn at the bottom from the producer shaft, the unburnt residues (slag) being discharged in solid form from the bottom of the gas producer shaft.

'I'he advantages offered by the blowing xup from below and by the steaming from the top down- Wards are especially noticeable if a gas, suitable for the synthesis of hydrocarbons is to be produced. 'I'he benefits thus obtained could, however, not be fully utilized in the gas producers known hitherto. 'Ihe hot blast airis introduced in the usual water-gas generators through a grate into the fuel column, by which in the subsequent steaming period the usefulgas is also withdrawn in case the steam flows from the top downwards through the fuel column. The very hot useful gas owing through the grate transfers a great quantity of its heat unto the metallic grate which, during the steaming period is heated to such temperatures, at which the grate no longer shows the requisite strength. The well known water-gas generators are therefore usually operated in such a way, that during the steaming period the steam is alternatively introduced from the bottom and from the top into the gas producer and the temperature of the grate is thus kept below that point above which the grate could be damaged.

Another disadvantage adherent to the watergas generators, known hitherto, consists in that the removal of slag which due to the high temperature is baked into larger lumps, cannot be carried out in a practical way by mechanical means. 'I'he water-gas generators, known hitherto, still require quite a good deal of poking to be done by the attending people.

Ihe present invention now provides means for the elimination of the above-mentioned difficulties, arising in connection with water-gas generators, known hitherto. The improvements now consist in the provision of a stationary pipe coil, wound in the shape of a cone, and which is water-cooled, as a conical grate in the lower part of the gas producer shaft and an annular extractor arranged for rotation around the base Y of this grate cone. The extractor is provided with crushing jaws or the like, similar to a centrifugal crusher. At the lower end of the gas 5 producer shaft, these jaws work together with the corresponding stationary crushing jaws.

Another feature of the gas generator according to my invention consists in that the grate cone formed by the pipe coil is covered at the l0 top by means of a water-cooled cap, which contrary to the water-cooled cone grate can be lifted, lowered and rotated, if necessary.

Further important objects of my invention lnclude the extraction of ash, which falls on the l5 annular rotary extractor on the one hand and on the other hand between the base of the stationary grate cone and the extractor casing. Furthermore, the invention relates to a special arrangement of inlets for steam and, if neces- 20 sary, of water, in the walls of the gas producer shaft, in a zone lying opposite the conc grate.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be in part obvious from and in part specifically pointed out in the description con- 25 tained hereinafter, which taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof. Such embodiment, however, is to be considered merely as illustrative of the principles of the invention.

The lower part of a water-gas generator as constructed according to my invention is illustrated on the drawing in Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows a vertical section of the apparatus and Figure 2 shows on an enlarged scale 35 the hood covering the top of the cone grate.

According to the drawing, the water-gas generator is formed by a double shell I, the interior 2 of which is filled with a suitable cooling liquid. for instance water. The double shell l of the 4m gas producer is carried by a supporting ring 3, suitably made from cast steel, said carrying ring being fastened to the supports, not shown on the drawing.

A cylindrical casing d is likewise firmly fastened 45 on the lower frame of the gas producer. This cylindrical casing is situated in the center line of the gas producer shaft. A conically twisted pipe coil 5, the individual tubes of which are arranged at a certain distance from one another, as shown 50 in Figure 2, extend from the upper end of the casing 4. Gaseous or vapour-like media can be blown into and withdrawn from the producer shaft through the spaces 6 between the individual convolutions of the pipe coil.

'I'he pipe coil forming the grate cone is connected to a water delivery y1 and to a water-discharge 8, which extend in a gas-tight way through a lower extension 8 of the grate supporting casing 4. v

A hood I0 flttedwith a water-cooling arrangement is placed above the last upper convolution of the grate coil cone which is arranged above the grate casing 4 said hood being situated at the ltopof a vertical suport Il. l

The support Il of the grate hood I0 is movably arranged in a bearing arm I2, and runs through a stuillng box I4 in the inclined bottom i2 of the casing extension 8. Its lower end is movably connected by means of an intermediate crank-link I5, to the lugs or crank-pin Il of a crank-wheel l1, which is rotated by a power unit, not shown on the drawing. As clearly shown, the hood support Il, together with the hood I0, are lifted and lowered, as the crank-wheel I1 is rotated.

A baking-together of the slag within the gas producer with the formation of bridges is thereby prevented and a uniform sinking-down of the slag is attained in the gas producer.

Figure 2 shows the grate hood il fitted with a hollow space Il. A longitudinal channel Il of the hood support Il reaches into this space. A back-flow channel is likewise provided the channel I9. Underneath the bottom I3 of the casing, the longitudinal channel I! of the hood support is connected with a water-supply by means of a flexible pipe 2|. The cooling water rises upwards in the longitudinal channel il, is distributed in the hollow space Il of the grate hood Hl, as shown by the arrows and finally ows from the projecting point 22 of the hood Il through the backrun channel 20, the lower end of which similar to the longitudinal channel I., is connected with the water-discharge by means of a flexible pipe or the like. As may also be seen from Figure 2, the back-run 20 reaches up to the top 22 of the grate hood ID, so that the under side ofthe said top of the grate hood Il is flushed with cooling water.

l Above the last convolution l of the grate cone isA also arranged a special tubular winding 22, which on the outside is provided with holes and is connected above the grate with a water supply 24. The water supplied into the tubular winding 2l finds its exit through the pipe openings into the slag layer above the cone grate 5 and cools down the slag to a good extent, whereby any larger lumps of slag which may have been formed, are broken-up.

For the discharge of the slag from the gas producer there serves an annular extractor 25, which rotates over an annular sliding face 2i around the stationary cone grate. The extractor ring 25 is fitted above with a conical extension 21 which terminates in a guide ring 28 in rotary engagement with the supporting casing 4 of the grate. Ring grooves fixed to the guide rings 28 serve for the distribution of the lubricating means over the sliding face.

The conical extension 21 of the extractor ring is equipped with a multitude of crushing jaws 29, which operate together with the crushing jaws of crushing-ring 30, provided on at the supporting walls l of the gas producer shell. The crushing ring 30 and the conical extension 21 of the extractor ring work similar to a centrifugal crusher. The slag lumps descending from the top of the fuel chamber into the downwardly tapered ring space between the extension 21 and the crushing ring 2l are crushed by the crushing jaws 2l and Il.

The crushed slag finally is collected upon the horizontal extractor ring 2l and is cut oi! from the extractor ring 2l by suitable scrapers ll. which are adiustably supported from the annular wall I of the gas producer shaft. Preferably, several scrapers 3| are arranged around the circumference of the gasl producer shaft. 'I'he slag separated from the ring falls into an ash pit ll. which is suitably closed by a cover 22.

The extractor ring 25 is arranged inside a casing i4, which forms a gas-tight seal for the space between the supporting casing 4 of the cone grate and the g'as producer shaft casing l. The casing 34 is provided underneath the extractor ring 2l with an extension 3l, in which are collected all those proportions of the ash, which fall through the space between the extractor ring 24 and the casing $4. A special scraper 36 is fitted to the lower side of the extractor ring 25 and will push the ash from the collecting trough 25 into the ash pit l).V The casing 84 is fitted with ash pockets 21 for the ash which falls between the guide ring 2l of the crusher cone 21 and the grate casing 4.

Finally, there is provided for an ash cover 3l, to be used for the ash which may fall through the spaces between the pipe coils l of the cone grate.

'Ihe walls of the gas producer shaft at the height of the grate cone, are provided with steam inlets It and water inlets 40, which are in connection with the steam and water pipeline by means of a shut-ofi or regulating valve. During the run period, steam is preferably blown into the sla! layer through the steam pipes Il. The slag layer formed during the operation reaches approximately up to the height of the cone grate in the producer shaft, thus counteracting an excessive heating of the pipe coil 5 of the grate cone. The water nozzles 40 serve to spray water against the slag lumps, collecting in the extractor device, in order to crush the lumps by the sudden cooling down.

According to my invention, there are also provided nozzles for the introduction of combustion air, situated at the height of the inlets 2| and 40, to ensure that a continuous or intermittent delivery of air during the run period takes place, so that the height of the slag bed can be controlled or that the coke pieces contained in the slag` are burnt as far as possible. These nozzles are shown diagrammatically at 40' on the drawing.

The air, which serves for the hot-blasting of the gas-producer-charge is introduced into the grate casing 9, 4 and the water-gas is, likewise, withdrawn therefrom through the pipeline 4I, during the steaming period of the gas producer. Y

I have now described my present invention on the lines of a preferred embodiment thereof, but my invention is not limited in all its aspects to the mode of carrying it out as described and shown, since the invention may be variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:-

l. A water gas generator for intermittent operation alternately by up air-blasts and downsteam runs comprising, a generator shell having a fuel chamber; a grate for the lower portion ot the fuel chamber comprising a stationary lower central conduit and a stationary upper conical gas diffusion member therefor; an annular rotatable ash extractor mounted for rotation around the base of the central conduit; a crushing ring having jaws thereon mounted for rotation with the ash extractor; and crushing jaws on the shell for cooperation with the jaws on the crushing ring; said lower central conduit constituting a stationary support vfor the stationary upper conical grate and being adapted for inflow of up-blast air to, and outflow of downiiow water-gas from the fuel bed through the conical grate; said stationary conical grate being constituted as a conically coiled water-cooled conduit stationarily secured on the stationary lower central conduit therefor, and having its convolutions spaced from each other for diiusion of gas therethrough; said crushing ring being disposed between the extractor and the central conduit so as to rotatably bear on the outer surface of the central conduit near the upper part thereof; a bottom closure casing extending from the generator shell and the central conduit below the bearing for the crushing ring and enclosing the crushing ring and ash extractor for closing the space between the shell and central conduit against gas flow therethrough; means for introducing the air for up-blasting to the central conduit for delivery to the interior of the conically coiled water tube diffusion member for diiusion thereby to the fuel chamber and for withdrawing gas therefrom, and means for circulating cooling water through the conically coiled water-cooled conduit.

`2. A water-gas generator as claimed in claim 1, and in which a separate water cooled chambered hood is centrally mounted at the apex of the conically coiled water cooled conduit for up and down movement with respect thereto, and means are provided for circulating cooling water into and 35 out of the chamber therefor.

3. A water-gas generator as claimed in claim' 1, and in which a separate water cooled chambered hood is centrally mounted at the apex of the conically coiled water cooled conduit for up and down movement with respect thereto, and means are provided for circulating cooling water into and out of the chamber therefor, said means comprising an outer conduit communicating with the chamber at the lower part of the hood for inflow of water to the chamber and also adapted to elevate the hood on vertical reciprocation of the conduit, and an inner conduit for outflow of water extending in spaced relation to the inner conduit through the same and terminating in the chamber near the upper part of the hood.

4. A water-gas generator as claimed in claim 1, and in which ash discharge devices are provided on the annular ash extractor underneath the same for removing ash from underneath the annular ash extractor in the chamber between the same and the bottom closure casing.

5. A water-gas generator as claimed in claim 1, and in which inlets for steam, air and water are provided in the generatorshell opposite the conically coiled water-cooled conduit for introducing air and water to the ash iiowing alongside the same and introducing steam towards the same.

6. A water-gas generator as claimed in claim 1, and in which an auxiliary stationary watercooled coil is mounted at the apexI o1' the conically coiled water-cooled conduit, said auxiliary coill having ports for spraying liquid therefrom downwardly over the coils of the conically-coiled water cooled conduit.

\ HEINRICH KOPPERS. 

